Italians drink lots of coffee – they drink it small and they drink it fast. It's a pick-me-up and a quick caffeine kick. 'Caffé' is what we'd call an espresso. It's served, not too hot, in a petite espresso cup and saucer, thick, dark and without milk and comes with a complimentary glass of water.
The cappuccino is arguably the most popular type of coffee drink in Italy that includes milk, made with equal parts Italian espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. Since cappuccinos have quite a bit of milk, Italians only drink this particular type of coffee in the morning.
Thou shalt only drink cappuccino, caffé latte, latte macchiato or any milky form of coffee in the morning, and never after a meal. Italians cringe at the thought of all that hot milk hitting a full stomach. An American friend of mine who has lived in Rome for many years continues, knowingly, to break this rule.
Start by adding 42 grams of coffee, freshly ground to the French press setting on your grinder, to the carafe. Then, pour in water just below boiling, around 175°F. Let it steep for four minutes, using a timer. While steeping, swirl the grounds in the water, which gives a better extraction than stirring.
Although the passion for coffee does not geographically segment the world population, the researchers argue that the reason why Italians drink so much coffee is because in their genetic baggage lies a gene that influences the daily need for caffeine.
Some Italians don't like the idea of sweetening coffee with sugar, so they go for milk instead. In this case we're talking about “caffé macchiato” (pron “kaf'fé mak. 'kia.to”) which is an Espresso with just a bit of milk foam in it. You don't have to ask for milk since macchiato always comes with it.
Don't order a cappuccino after noon
Italians have a thing about drinking cappuccino after noon. It's just not done (some say it's because the milk and foam makes it a replacement for a meal, and all that dairy upsets the digestion).
Coffee is just as nuanced and complex, if not more so, than wine. And a great coffee, so the chorus goes, doesn't need sugar to taste great—it tastes great on its own! But in the tradition of Italian espresso, sugar is almost always added.
We predict that you'll never return to generic supermarket coffee. In summary, Italian espresso tastes better because it is always made from a fresh roast, which is never more than eight days old.
Caffè latte translates to coffee and milk.
To serve coffee with elegance, respecting one of the most important symbols of Italian tradition, water should never be missing. The water has a very important function: it allows you to better taste the coffee and clearly distinguish the characteristics of the blend you are drinking.
Italians drink an average of 3 coffees a day: 4 out of 10 oscillate between a minimum of two cups and a maximum of 3, while the same number consumes from 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day.
How Italians drink their coffee - In bars, coffee is often served with a small glass of water; the water is supposed to be drunk first to cleanse the palate. - In some busy bars (especially train stations), you must pay for your coffee upfront at a till and then present your receipt to the barista.
After midday Italians drink their coffee black and will happily continue drinking into the evening. Later in the day, they may well add a slug of grappa or other liquor to their espresso to create a caffè corretto, but they would never consider adding milk.
Why do Italians drink coffee after dinner? “The espresso after dinner is ordered only if the meal was heavy, and they also 'correct' the espresso by adding grappa, known as 'the corretto,'” Milos says. The habit might also have to do with the fact that Italians stay up later.
Cappuccino. The classic Italian espresso drink, a cappuccino is equal parts espresso, milk foam and steamed milk. They are most commonly enjoyed before or during breakfast, but never after a meal.
While it may seem strange to some, the custom of not ordering a cappuccino after 11am in Italy is rooted in tradition and the belief that the drink is best suited for the morning. It's a cultural norm that has been passed down through generations, but as with any culture, things are changing and evolving with time.
Grown at low altitude, for some people, coffee from Brazil is the best coffee in the world because of its delicate flavour profile when roasted for filter brewing.
Espresso cremina: the recipe
This is definitely a classic tradition in and around Naples and Salerno, where even the bartender preparing an espresso adds the cream to his preparations. In the rest of Italy, however, it's much more of a family ritual. So here's the secret for making it really special.
Italians drink coffee just about any time of day, but they'll often have an espresso after dinner. According to Italians, coffee oils actually aid digestion. making it ideal after they've finished eating. Bellissimo vol.
The word for sugar in Italian is zucchero (masculine, plural: zuccheri).
Breakfast in Italy: what to expect
Homemade breakfast in Italy is usually a straightforward affair. Traditional breakfast drinks in Italian households are coffee, tea and cocoa milk for the kids and the main breakfast foods are bread with butter and jam, biscuits and cereals.
The Bitter Liqueurs
In Italian, bitter liqueurs are beloved as after-dinner cocktails. These bitter liqueurs are called Amari (literally translates to "bitters"), which contain a lot of botanicals that aid in digestion.
Be sure to say "caffé latte" and not just "latte". A latte in Italy is a glass of milk so that is what you will get if you leave out the word "caffé". Un "Americano" is a double espresso topped off with hot water for a total of 8 ounces.